5.22.25

Janice M. Riordan honored with memorial doctoral fellowship

By Lily Parker ’23/25

In the study of human lactation, Janice M. Riordan’s name carries a true legacy.

A longtime professor in the School of Nursing at Wichita State, Jan ’79 was well known for her research, authoring and editing numerous publications and several books, including “Breastfeeding and Human Lactation,” a text, today in its seventh edition, long considered essential literature on breastfeeding. She helped to found the Kansas chapter of La Leche League International and the International Board of Lactation Examiners. For her many contributions to the field, she was inducted as a fellow in the International Lactation Consultant Association and a fellow in the American Academy of Nursing, the most prestigious recognition in nursing.

To Michael L. Riordan, Jan holds an additional, more personal role: mother.

“I remember our mom saying how much she enjoyed working in the community in Wichita, especially with first-time mothers, helping them get comfortable and confident with their breastfeeding,” Michael, founder and chairman of Beaufort Twelve Holdings and founder and former CEO of Gilead Sciences, says. “Jan was dedicated to nursing education and worked long and hard at it, but most of all, she was a loving mother and grandmother.”

Her passion for nursing was rooted in her own experiences raising six children of her own. As soon as her kids were all in school, she returned to her studies, eventually earning a master’s degree and doctorate. “She understood how important education is, and that’s a value she passed along to each of us,” Michael said.

Earlier this year, he made a gift to honor his mother’s commitment to education, establishing the School of Nursing’s first endowed doctoral fellowship in her name: the Dr. Janice M. Riordan Doctoral Fellowship in Nursing. Previously in 2007, he established the Janice M. Riordan Distinguished Professorship in Maternal Child Health, a position currently held by Jolynn Dowling ’88/95.

The recipient of the fellowship will work directly with the Riordan Professor, focusing their capstone research project on breastfeeding and human lactation. Dowling says it’s a perfect fit in honoring Jan’s many contributions. “This doctoral fellowship is vital for carrying on Jan’s legacy and her philosophy,” says Dowling, “including her love for the people she cared for, her impact as a pioneer in lactation research and education, and her support of families in her community.”

Additionally, she notes, the fellowship will be a useful tool within the College of Health Professions for attracting and retaining students who have a desire to hone their expertise in the study of human lactation and breastfeeding. Dowling says, “This gift is meeting a need not only at Wichita State, but in our community and its access to care for lactating people.”